Donald Trump has long been known for avoiding the Vietnam War draft. Recently, reports that his youngest son, Barron Trump, also will not be entering military service have stirred anger among many Americans. The reason? A medical exemption.
At the same time, tensions in the Middle East have escalated dramatically. The conflict involving Iran has intensified, with U.S. and Israeli forces striking multiple locations, including targets in the capital, Tehran. Over the weekend, Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed during the strikes.
Iran retaliated soon after, and by Tuesday, six U.S. service members had been reported dead. The number of casualties on the Iranian side has not yet been officially confirmed.
As Donald Trump and his administration moved forward with military action against Iran without formal approval from Congress, critics have questioned the president’s judgment—particularly given that he never served in the armed forces.
None of Trump’s children—Donald Jr., Eric, Ivanka, or Tiffany—have military backgrounds either, leaving Barron as the only member of the family who might have become the first to serve.
Trump’s own history with the draft has been widely discussed. For instance, a Queens podiatrist, Dr. Larry Braunstein, who passed away about two decades ago, reportedly diagnosed Trump with bone spurs. The diagnosis, said to have been done as a favor to Trump’s father, Fred, helped him secure a medical deferment and avoid military service.
In 2016, Trump revealed that a physician “gave me a letter – a very strong letter – on the heels” to submit to draft officials. However, strangely, he couldn’t recall the doctor’s name.
#SendBarron hashtag trending in connection to Iran war
The fact that Donald Trump possibly lied his way out of the draft has not gone down well among many Americans, not least military personnel and their families.
Over the weekend, when the war in Iran began, the hashtag #SendBarron trended.
One user wrote: “Why not demonstrate that Trump family spirit of patriotism and sacrifice by sending Barron to fight Iran?”
“At least someone from the Trump family should demonstrate how patriotic they are by serving instead of grifting,” a second added.
Another post read: “#SendBarron. Would certainly send a message of solidarity with our troops, and gratitude for the sacrifices they make every day.”
One user claimed: “If you vote for leaders who love war, maybe you or your children should at least be first in line to explain why it’s worth it.”
Some even criticized Trump’s involvement in escalating the war while remaining safe. One person commented, “POTUS is chilling at his own country club while starting WWIII #SendBarron.”
Medical reasons Barron Trump ‘can’t join’ the US military
The first men drafted would be those turning age 20 during the calendar year of the lottery. Therefore, as Barron turns 20 in May, he could be drafted. However, it turns out to be that. The youngest son of the president could be exempt from military service. That because of medical reasons, but not in the way you might think.
As Barron stands 6’7″, he could be too tall for military roles, especially those requiring you to be in smaller spaces such as armored vehicles, tanks, and airplanes, per the Mirror.
The US Army has a height limit for several positions, which is 6’8″, which would disqualify Barron from serving.
What do you think of this? Please share your thoughts in the comment section on Facebook.
